Why Keto? 5 good reasons!

I was told about the Ketogenic diet a few months ago and its positive effects on memory problems, seizures, depleted energy levels, diabetes (my mother’s constant struggle), sleep problems, and weight loss. Oddly enough I was told about the Keto diet from a close friend of my sons. He told me how he used it to lose weight. He told me the main ailment it helped was epilepsy and told me I ought to try it! If he hadn’t mentioned that, one day hanging out with my son, I would never have heard of it perhaps.

The Keto diet has become one of the top diets out there that people are interested in trying. There are more than one million searches on Google every month for the keto diet. It’s unique because the fad diet has captured the interest of people who want to lose weight, and there’s no lack of people trying to lose weight. As more and more people hear of the diet, and mulitude of benefits, it will become more of a way of eating for everyone and less a diet to lose weight.

Researchers have taken a greater interest in it as a medical diet this last decade. In 2015, there were 159 studies listed in the PubMed.com database (which is run by the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health). In 2018, that number doubled, with 322 published studies. –according to Everyday Health

So far the ketogenic diet has been proven to be incredibly effective in treating all five of the following symptoms.

1. Improved ‘Bad’ LDL Cholesterol Levels

People who have high “bad” LDL are much more likely to have heart attacks. However, the size of the particles is important. Smaller particles are linked to a higher risk of heart disease, while larger particles are linked to a lower risk .

It turns out that a keto diet increase the size of “bad” LDL particles while reducing the number of total LDL particles in your bloodstream. Lowering your carb intake can boost your heart health. When you eat a keto diet, the size of your “bad” LDL particles increases, which reduces their harmful effects. Cutting carbs may also reduce the number of total LDL particles in your bloodstream.

2. Theraputic for Brain disorders such as epilepsy!

Epilepsy Awareness

This is the protocol used for decades to treat epilepsy in children who don’t respond to drug treatment. Your brain needs glucose, as some parts of it can only burn this type of sugar. That’s why your liver produces glucose from protein if you don’t eat any carbs. Yet, a large part of your brain can also burn ketones which are formed during starvation or when carb intake is very low.

In many cases, this diet can cure children of epilepsy. In one study, over half of the children on a ketogenic diet experienced a greater than 50% reduction in their number of seizures, while 16% became seizure-free.

Ketogenic diets are now being studied for other brain conditions as well, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

3. Weight loss

Cutting carbs is one of the simplest and most effective ways to lose weight. Studies illustrate that people on keto diets lose more weight, faster, than those on low-fat diets — even when the latter are actively restricting calories. This is because the keto diet works to rid excess fat from your body, lowering insulin levels and leading to rapid weight loss in the first week or two.

4. Big help with diabetes!

Ketogenic diets can also be particularly helpful for people with diabetes and insulin resistance, which affect millions of people worldwide. Studies prove that the keto diet drastically lowers both blood sugar levels and insulin levels.

Some people with diabetes who begin a keto diet may need to reduce their insulin dosage by 50% almost immediately.

In one study, 95% of people with type 2 diabetes, had reduced or eliminated their glucose-lowering medication within six months.

If you take blood sugar medication, talk to your doctor before making changes to your carb intake, as your dosage may need to be adjusted to prevent hypoglycemia.

5. Lower blood pressure and help with heart disease

Elevated blood pressure, or hypertension, is a significant risk factor for many diseases, including heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. The keto diet is an effective way to lower blood pressure, which helps reduce your risk of these diseases and helps you live longer. Not only does this diet improve our cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar, but it also reduces your appetite, boosts weight loss and lowers your triglycerides.

If you have health concerns or know someone who does, the keto diet is worth considering. I have included a keto shopping list to help you get going. I will also be posting keto recipes often and, if you have some you like, feel free to send them in.

I’d suggest you read this article by Harvard Health Publishing and talk to your health practioner.

If you have tried the ketogenic diet, or are going to give it a go, email me your experiences!

Older posts!

Cold winter days bring inspirations of new, warm drinks to cozy up to and relax. We have usual go-to’s like coffee, hot chocolate, tea to name a few but I wanted something new and healthy! I decided to try something different I happened to see in a coffee shop here where I live. A turmeric

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The holidays may be over but there is still a lot to do! Writing thank you notes, returning items, and putting decorations away to name a few. Will there ever be time to RELAX??? Here’s a little comfort food I like to make on chilly nights. Looking at the beautiful color of this super yummy